Disconnecting switch



Jan. 15, 1935. w. A HILLEBRAND DISCONNECTING SWITCH Filed March 23, 1932 F \LIIIIII Patented Jan. 15, 1935 1 1 ,9'88, 1

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE- DISCONNECTIN G SWITCH William A. Hillebrand, Akron, Ohio, assignor. to The 'Ohi'o'BrasS Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application Marches, 1932, Serial No. 600,616 2 Claims. (01. 200-48) This invention relates to electric switches such bracket 18 and automatically winds up theconas are used for-disconnecting high voltage transductor 12 when the blade 19 is folded to its-co1- mission lines, and has for one of its objects the lapsed position within the housing 14. Theopprovision ofa switch which will occupy a mini-v crating rod 21 is rigidly fixed to the upper end 5 mum space and avoid danger of arcing to'adjaof an insulator stack 28 which is arranged tobe 5 centstructuresrotated by gearing 29, driven by a motor 302 A A: further object is. to provide a switch which universal joint 31 isprovided at the lower end of can be easily operated in all weather conditions. the stack 28 to permit lateral swinging move- Another object. is to provide a: switch which ment of the rod 21 caused by the levera-rms 22 shall be of improved'construction and operation. and 23. A screw 32 is connected to the'gearin-g 10 Other objects and advantages will appear from 29 and carries a traveling nut 33 for controlling the following description, the motor 30.

The invention is exemplified by the combina- A quick acting reversing lever 341s operated tion and arrangement of parts shown in the acby the nut33 and controls twosets of switches 35 companying drawing and; described in the followand 36 for reversing the motor. The parts are 15 ing. specification, and it is more particularly so arranged that when the main switch 19 reaches pointedioutinthe appended claims. the end of its travel ineither direction, the In, th drawing; 7 switches 35 and 36 are reversed by the controller 1 isapartlyrdiagrannnatic elevation show- 34. Hand switches 37 and 38 are also provided ing oneembodimentof the present invention. for controlling-the operation of the motor 30. 20

Fig. Zisa verticalsection of the housing for When the partsare in the position shown in Fig. receiving theswitchblade: when retracted to open 1 of the drawing, the motor 30 will be stationary thgiswitch. h t 1 t f h f 1since thetsw-itclihesand aggEfilJh-Dfien. If

. g; isxa. orizon aisec ion 0 a ousing or e opera or c oses e swic I i e mo or will the switch terminal opposite that shown in Fig. 2, be operated in a direction to open the switch 19. 2 the switch contact being shown in elevation. As soon as the switch 19 reaches its open posi- In tthe dfalwilfi,tthe lllmglaif 10 and lldrielpltioidshown in 2,bthet1r1eversifing lever 34 will be resen s post ins a ors o W ie are secure e su eny opera e y e nu 33 to open the ends of conductors 12 and 13 respectively to be switch 35 and close the switch 36. This will stop joined by a disconnecting switch. On the insuthe motor since the switch will be open in one 30 lator post 10 is mounted a housing 14 whlch may motor circuit, and the switch 38 will be open in be formed of metal and which is open at the end the other circuit. When the operator wishes to 15 facing the inlssulator 51a Th; insulatorfll car; cloge tihe magi switghhlii, he opens this switch 37 ries a ousing provi e wi an open ace an c oses e swi c 38, which wil drive the 35 facing the insulator 10. The housings 14 and 16 motor in a direction to close the main switch. As 35 may be flared adjacent their open faces, as soon as the switch 19 reaches its closed position, shown in the drawing, to conduct drip water to the reversing lever 34 will again be operated to the l w r p rt n f th d f th h usi a d open the switch 36 and close the switch 35. It pr v nt it fr m alli a s the p f c Will be impossible for the operator t cause the MQunt9d 0I1 the Insulator P 10 W1th1n the motor to over-run in either direction since the 4.0 housmg 1S a bracket 18 Whlch carnes a Swltch positions of the switches 35 and 36 are automatig gg i' g g g g gifgg gii ig g gg cally reversed by the lever 34 whenever switch 19 t th t d 20 nd r ted b reaches its extreme position. If the operator elpom S an t 0106 a a should inadvertently close both switches 37 and screw 10d 21 threaded into bearing blocks pivot- 38 at the Same time the only result would be that 45 ally mounted in the ends of the arms 22 and 23. At their free ends the lazy tongs carry a contact the swltcl? W111 be a1ternate.1y qpened and closed until the operators attention is drawn to mber 24 arran ed to en a e contact terminals gg mounted in housingg on the insulator the fact that both switches 37 and 38 are closed. It will then only be necessary for the operator to 11. The contact terminals 25 are flared to guide i the plate 24 t place between t terminal open one of the control switches to set the main members. In order to provide good conductivity, Switch in the position t a h d s sn f t, the blade 19 carries a flexible conductor 26 electhe o y hi the p ra r n d d is to lose h trically connecting the member 24 with the conproper switch and open the other whenever he ductor 12. A spring drum 27 is mounted on the wishes to open or close the main switch, and he 55 cannot operate his control switches so as to do any damage.

It will be seen that the contact members for the main switch are enclosed at all times in housings which protect them on all sides, except the confronting vertical faces so that the contacts are reasonably well protected from all weather conditions. Should ice or sleet form upon the exposed portion of the blade 19, this will be easily broken when theblade is operated, since the leverage at the joints is the same at the extremity of the switch as it is at the joints closest to the operating mechanism. The switch never moves out of a direct line between the two contacts so that it does not swing toward adjacent objects as is the case with an ordinary pivoted switch. The housings 14 and 16 form electrostatic shields enclosing the terminal members and also the switch blade when the switch is open, thus minimizing corona discharge from the switch parts and consequently preventing radio disturbances. In order to hold the entering edge of the blade 24 firmly in a vertical position as it enters the contacts 25, limit stops 40 are provided on the blade in a position to engage the projecting ends of the links 41 which connect the contact plate 24 with the lever arms of the lazy tongs 19. When the switch blade has reached the end of its closing movement, the links 41 will engage the pins 40 and hold the contact plate 24 in the position shown in Fig. 1.

I claim:

1. A disconnecting switch for outdoor use comprising a pair of spaced terminals, a switch blade for connecting and disconnecting said terminals and means for protecting said switch blade when said switch is open, said means comprising a housing enclosing one of said terminals and having its maximum dimension materially less than half the length of the spacing between said terminals to provide maximum clearance about the terminal contained therein when said switch is open, said blade comprising a series of links pivoted together to form extensible and collapsible lazy tongs having one end mounted on the terminal within said housing and having a contact member at the other end thereof adapted to engage the other terminal of said switch, said housing being of a size to conform approximately to said switch blade when collapsed and a rotatable shaft for operating said blade, said shaft having an insulating portion extending away from said housing, a reversible motor for driving said shaft, two sets of connections for operating said motor in opposite directions respectively, a pair of switches for controlling said connections, said switches being interlocked so that one of said switches is open when the other is closed, trip mechanism for reversing said switches when said disconnecting switch reaches the respective limits of its movement, and separately operable hand controlled switches for said respective connections.

2. A disconnecting switch for outdoor use comprising a pair of spaced terminals, a switch blade for connecting and disconnecting said terminals and means for protecting said switch blade when said switch is open, said means comprising a housing enclosing one of said terminals and having its maximum dimension materially less than half the length of the spacing between said terminals to provide maximum clearance about the terminal contained therein when said switch is open, said blade comprising a series of links pivoted together to form extensible and collapsible lazy tongs having one end mounted on the terminal within said housing and having a contact member at the other end thereof adapted to engage the other terminal of said switch, said housing being of a size to conform approximately to said switch blade when collapsed and a rotatable shaft for operating said blade, said shaft having an insulating portion extending away from said housing, a flexible cable carried by said switch blade and connecting the contact member at one end thereof with the terminal member at the other end thereof, and a spring drum for storing said cable when said said switch blade is collapsed.

WILLIAM A. HILLEBRAND. 

